existential
pronunciation
How to pronounce existential in British English:
UK [ˌegzɪˈstenʃəl]
How to pronounce existential in American English:
US [ˌɛɡzɪˈstɛnʃəl, ˌɛksɪ-]
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- Adjective:
- derived from experience or the experience of existence
- of or as conceived by existentialism
- relating to or dealing with existence (especially with human existence)
Word Origin
- existential (adj.)
- 1690s, "pertaining to existence," from Late Latin existentialis/exsistentialis, from existentia/exsistentia (see existence). As a term in logic, from 1819; in philosophy, from 1937, tracing back to the Danish works of Kierkegaard (see existentialism). Related: Existentially.
Example
- 1. Our aim is not to answer these existential questions .
- 2. The crisis has onlyincreased the urgency of some existential questions .
- 3. Questions closely related to the nature of myth are the existential " what is truth ? "
- 4. It is dangerous , not least , because the so-called new autocracies pose no existential threat and offer no compelling new ideology .
- 5. Iran is seen as an existential threat , and that has raised speculation that israel might launch a pre-emptive strike on iranian nuclear facilities .